Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced that its newest Surface models - Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 - as well as an expanded portfolio of new Surface accessories are now available for purchase at Microsoft retail stores, select third-party retailers, and authorized commercial resellers in 21 initial markets, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The new Surface products will be available in China in early November.

Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 are the most productive tablets on the planet, and they each benefit from significant updates, including improvements to processing power and battery life, display and camera resolution, and the kickstand - now featuring a second, wider angle so it's more comfortable to use Surface on your lap or at your desk. Enhancements in Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1 Pro make Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 even more powerful and customizable. Knowledgeable staff are on hand at all Microsoft retail store locations to answer questions and help with Surface setup, so customers have a great out-of-box experience and walk out the door with a product that is personalized for them.

Each new Surface comes with built-in value
To help people get the most out of Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, customers who purchase either device will receive free Skype calling to landlines in more than 60 countries for one year, unlimited Skype Wi-Fi on their Surface 2 or Surface Pro 2 at more than 2 million hotspots worldwide for one year, and 200 GB of free SkyDrive storage for two years.

Surface 2
Surface 2 is the most productive tablet for personal use. It offers all the entertainment and gaming capabilities you expect from a tablet, along with the ability to get work done. Surface 2 is powered by an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, making apps run faster and smoother and increasing battery life to up to 10 hours for video playback. The 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display now renders 1080p video for enjoying shows and movies, and its full-size USB port has been upgraded to USB 3.0 for up to four times faster file transfers. Camera resolution has also increased, with a 3.5-megapixel front camera and 5-megapixel rear camera, both capable of capturing 1080p video and featuring improved low-light performance, making face-to-face conversations with your favorite people crisp and clear. Even with these and other upgrades, Surface 2 is slightly thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

Surface 2 ships with Windows 8.1 RT, bringing improvements in key areas, such as personalization, search, multitasking, built-in apps, the Windows Store experience and cloud connectivity. The new Xbox Music allows you to stream millions of songs for free, and an updated Video app and great games from the Windows Store such as "Halo: Spartan Assault" will help ensure you never run out of ways to play. When it's time to get serious, Surface 2 is preloaded with Microsoft Office Home and Student 2013 RT and Outlook 2013 RT; simply click in a Touch or Type Cover and get to work.

Surface 2 is available in 32GB and 64GB configurations2 and starts at $449.

Surface Pro 2
Surface Pro 2 is the successor to Surface Pro and, like its predecessor, is a true laptop replacement, capable of running virtually all your Windows software, including the full Microsoft Office suite3 and apps from the Windows Store. Surface Pro 2 offers the portability and simplicity of a tablet when you want it and the power and flexibility of a laptop when you need it. It is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 processor that, combined with other improvements, delivers increased performance and up to 75 percent longer battery life than Surface Pro.

Starting at $899, Surface Pro 2 is offered in 64GB and 128GB configurations with 4 GB of RAM and in 256GB and 512GB configurations with 8 GB of RAM.2 Full specs are available here.

New accessories
Microsoft also released seven new accessories that will make Surface even more flexible, more portable and more productive:

Touch Cover 2. Thinner and lighter than the original Touch Cover and measuring just 2.75 millimeters thin, Touch Cover 2 features backlit keys for even better readability. Touch Cover 2 is more rigid, registers keystrokes with greater accuracy and features updated sensors that support a variety of gestures across the keyboard. Touch Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $119.99.

Type Cover 2. Type Cover 2 features the same superthin, lightweight design of the original Type Cover, but it's now backlit and available in Cyan, Magenta, Purple and Black. It's also more rigid, providing a better lap-typing experience, and it was designed to be noticeably quieter when striking the keys. Type Cover 2 is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $129.99.

Power Cover. Power Cover delivers the same great typing experience you get with Type Cover but adds up to 50 percent additional battery life to your Surface 2, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 to help you make it through that late-night meeting or an international day of travel. Power Cover will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.

Docking Station for Surface Pro. The Docking Station for Surface Pro lets you quickly connect Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 to desktop PC peripherals in a single step, taking you from laptop to desktop in an instant. While Surface Pro or Surface Pro 2 is docked, it can connect with up to two 4K external monitors, Ethernet, speakers and power supply. PC peripherals connect via its one USB 3.0 port and three USB 2.0 ports. The Docking Station for Surface Pro will have an estimated retail price of $199.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.

Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers. The Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers connects magnetically to any Touch or Type Cover, letting you type from anywhere in the room using Bluetooth technology, so it is even easier to connect Surface to a TV or monitor4 and type from another location, such as the couch. Wireless Adapter for Typing Covers is available Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $59.99.

Car Charger with USB. Car Charger plugs into most cars' power or lighter ports and charges Surface without the need for an additional adapter. It also features a USB port to allow simultaneous charging of a phone or other device. Car Charger will have an estimated retail price of $49.99 and has a projected release date of early 2014.

Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition. This special-edition Arc Touch Mouse has been updated to match the look of Surface. Like other Arc Touch mice, it is designed for comfort and flattens for portability. It connects via Bluetooth 3.0, freeing Surface's USB port for use by other devices. Arc Touch Mouse Surface Edition is available in the U.S. and Canada Tuesday for an estimated retail price of $69.99. Distribution in additional markets is projected to begin in the coming months.

Have fun not selling any Surface Pro 2's MS. You clearly didn't learn last time, people arent willing to drop that kind of cash on a tablet regardless of specs.

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Anand called the last generation the best ultrabook on the market. Which is an interesting point. I don't see these as tablets. It's a laptop, without the top (or bottom). Tablets are big smartphones, this is a small PC.

Anand called the last generation the best ultrabook on the market. Which is an interesting point. I don't see these as tablets. It's a laptop, without the top (or bottom). Tablets are big smartphones, this is a small PC.

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When Surface Pro first launched, it wasn’t just a good device, it was arguably the best Ultrabook on the market. Surface Pro 2 launches into a much more competitive marketplace. I don’t know if I can make the same statement about it vs. Ultrabooks today. That’s not a bad thing as it is still a very different type of device, but it does make for a more difficult buying decision.

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Hmmm... I would rather have an ultra book vs. a Surface Pro 2. An ultra book actually has a certain job, a job which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. A tablet also has a job, which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. It's a compromise between the two... It isn't fulfilling one role the best as other devices do that are designed to fill that role. You are left with a $900 compromise.

Hmmm... I would rather have an ultra book vs. a Surface Pro 2. An ultra book actually has a certain job, a job which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. A tablet also has a job, which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. It's a compromise between the two... It isn't fulfilling one role the best as other devices do that are designed to fill that role. You are left with a $900 compromise.

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I'd rather have a new netbook (if we're being realistic). If we aren't, I'd have this.

Hmmm... I would rather have an ultra book vs. a Surface Pro 2. An ultra book actually has a certain job, a job which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. A tablet also has a job, which can't really be done as well on a Surface Pro 2. It's a compromise between the two... It isn't fulfilling one role the best as other devices do that are designed to fill that role. You are left with a $900 compromise.

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What exactly doesn't the Surface Pro 2 do well? It's portable, has a physical keyboard which acts as a cover, 1080p touch screen, and active pen support. Obviously people prefer different form factors (hence having competition) but I keep seeing comments like yours and I'm wondering what exactly it fails at besides being "different".

What exactly doesn't the Surface Pro 2 do well? It's portable, has a physical keyboard which acts as a cover, 1080p touch screen, and active pen support. Obviously people prefer different form factors (hence having competition) but I keep seeing comments like yours and I'm wondering what exactly it fails at besides being "different".

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It's either a really crappy laptop or a really expensive tablet with a wide selection of programs that either nobody wants to use or can be gotten on a cheaper tablet or better laptop - not to mention that the keyboard is essentially a $120 one of these with no actual USB cable.

It's either a really crappy laptop or a really expensive tablet with a wide selection of programs that either nobody wants to use or can be gotten on a cheaper tablet or better laptop - not to mention that the keyboard is essentially a $120 one of these with no actual USB cable.